Education, health and self-sufficiency: top AFN Convention goals: special focus will be on Avian Flu and its possible impact on

The Alaska Federation of Natives Annual Convention returns to Anchorage this month with plans of moving forward on initiatives promoting access to quality education and health care in rural communities, as well as developing rural economic activity. The 41st Annual AFN Convention's focus is "Building Safety, Security and Self-Sufficiency in our Native Communities."

The convention, which runs from Oct. 23 to Oct. 28, will be held at the William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center. Over the past few years, the AFN in its annual conventions, in a series of national forums, and in the successful Alaska Marketplace, has concentrated its efforts on different aspects of self-determination.

According to AFN officials, the organization proposes to continue the theme of self-sufficiency this year. A major part of these plans include preparing Alaska's rural communities for a possible influenza pandemic-the avian or bird flu virus. There are increasing indications that Asian HSNI virus is infecting and killing wild birds in Asia and Eastern Europe, including some migratory species. These events, and the rapid spread of this virus to new regions, have created concerns that the flu virus could be carried to the United States by migratory birds. A number of migratory birds move between Alaska and Asia, making Alaska Natives, who regularly hunt these birds for subsistence purposes, particularly vulnerable should the virus mutate and spread to humans.

In order to ensure this safety and security, AFN officials want to help prepare for this challenge at the local, regional and statewide levels, which includes strengthening public safety and health systems, arming regional nonprofits and villages with the knowledge and capacity to address the challenges inherent in a pandemic, and informing communities on how to prepare for and fight the flu pandemic. AFN is planning to work with the Alaska Native Health Board, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services to put together a panel of experts, as well as authorities from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The goal is to discuss the issue and to provide the clearest and most timely information on what a pandemic influenza outbreak can mean, how it can spread, and what can be done to mitigate the impact.

The organization and its annual convention have become an effective means to gather Alaska Native voices from around the state regarding current issues and topics. The Alaska Federation of Natives was formed in October 1966 when more than 400 Alaska Natives representing 17 Native organizations gathered for a three-day conference to address Alaska Native aboriginal land rights. From 1966 to 1971, AFN worked primarily to achieve passage of a just and fair land settlement. On Dec. 18, 1971, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was signed into law. At the state level, AFN plays an active role in the legislative process, promoting laws, policies and programs in areas such as health, education, resource development, labor and government. In the late 1980s, AFN turned its attention to social, tribal and economic issues.

For more than 20 years, Alaska Natives have come together in dance to celebrate Quyana Alaska during AFN's Annual Convention. First introduced at the 1982 Convention, Quyana Alaska was designed to restore Native Alaskans' traditional dances and ensure that they were passed on to the future generations. Quyana Alaska is now a highlight of each convention. For more information about the convention agenda and schedules, check online at www.nativefederation.org.

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